[sunflwrmoonbeam]

How does birth weight work?

Weird question, I know. But is it a genes thing, or is it an effect of the pregnant woman?

I ask because I was a 5 pounder, and DH was a 10 pounder. I'm sure you can imagine my concerns.

Anyone know ANYTHING about this?

 

[ebbybaby]

I think it all depends on so many more variables than just genetics, what you eat during pregnancy, stress, time your baby decides to be delivered as that last week depending on your activity and eating could add almost .5 lb or more of chubbers to yer lil monkey. Not entirely sure though how it works but my girl was 8lbs 1oz and 6 days over due, her daddy and I were both right around the 7 lb mark. I gained 60+ lbs with her and ate like a horse.

This pregnancy I've gained 35 lbs and we'll just have to wait and see what he turns out to be.

5 Lbs is a lil low, unless your short in stature or just a small person, and one of your parents were small as well, maybe you were just early?

 

[Cinder]

I am not sure how it works really...but I was 5lbs 6ounces and DH was just under 8lbs, I forget exactly how big, all 3 of our kids thus far have been between that, #1 was 5lbs 9ounces, #2 was 7lbs 7ounces, and #3 was 6lbs 14oz.

 

[pantufla]

There are some genetic factors, but I don't think anyone really know how it works. My first was born 10 days past his EDD and was 7lbs 10oz, my second was born on his EDD and was 9lbs 8oz. Go figure.

I'm currently waiting on #3...

 

[berry987]

I think there are a lot of factors that go into birthweight, but I also think anything can happen. I've had big babies both times (9.9 pounds and 11 pounds) and my DH and I were both about 7 pounds at birth and my DH is ony about 5'9" (and I'm average height/weight).

I didn't gain much weight (only 25 lbs with my 11 pounder) and I didn't have GD or any of the things they say cause big babies. He just came out big (he was also 23 inches). Now as a toddler he is in the 80th percentile, so not off the charts or anything. He was technically defined as "Large for Gestational Age" but when I look up causes of LGA, I had none of the factors.

A close friend of mine just had a full term baby (40 weeks to the day) that weighed 6 lbs, 1 oz. And she gained 40 pounds and is about the same size as me.

So I've given up trying to understand birthweight!

 

[Peony]

The largest baby in my family, until I had my DC was my sister at 6lbs 5ozs. We are average height, born before the EDD at 37-38 wks, but just thin. I have no idea about DH's family other then they were all on the smaller side as well. With DD1, I gained 19 lbs, she was 6lbs 13ozs. With DD2, I gained over 30 and she was 2 ozs smaller then her sister. I eat very well, but my kids are just smaller when born and they have always been thin DC. Maybe if they baked for another month they would have more weight on them, but apparently they don't like to stay in there too long!

 

[nighten]

I think for genetics it tends (though of course this is anecdotal) to follow gender lines as well. So for instance, I was 6 pounds, 5 oz at birth. My daughter was 6 pounds, 6 oz at birth.

Boy babies tend to be larger than girls.

Mother's diet also has some to do with it, I'm sure, though in some cases not as much as genetics (at least not in mine -- I'd gained 33 pounds and ate very healthy last time and baby was petite).

But honestly, some babies are just bigger, but I tend to think they follow after the same gender parent oftentimes. My niece was 7+ pounds and my nephew was 10+ pounds. My SIL is petite like me. My brother is huge.

And it also depends on when baby is born. My daughter was born at 39 weeks (not induced). Had she been late she likely would've weighed more.

 

[sunflwrmoonbeam]

I was actually 5.5 pounds, 3 weeks early and the child of a chain smoker. I'm sure that had a lot to do with my birthweight, and I have no expectation of a kid that small. DH and I are both, well, solidly built and average height (I'm 5'3'', he's 5'9'').

Ok, so it seems birth weight is semi-random. Yay. My SIL and her ex are both on the smaller end, but not terribly, and both of her kids were 7-8 pounds, but are now really tiny (developmentally fine, just small). So, maybe it really is kinda random.

 

[northwoods1995]

I have no idea how it works. DH's mom and my mom both smoked 2+ packs of cigarrettes per day while pregnant--I was 6lbs and DH was 10lbs.

My kids have been almost 9lbs and 22.5 inches long (and is now tall and about average for weight) and the other was a little over 10lbs (is very small for his age now).

I didn't have gd with either and I gained 30lbs with one and about 15lbs with the other.

 

[jennert]

i have no clue as to how genetics work for birth weight. i was 6 lbs at birth, am 5ft 8in and 125lbs-ish. my husband was 6lbs and a few oz (he's the 5th of 7, and his mom doesn't remember accurately details about each baby but all hers were 6 pounders), is 5ft 10 in and about 135lbs. Mr. Pants was born 6 days past his due date and 9 lbs 4oz at birth. i didn't gain much weight (30 lbs, i think?), didn't have gestational diabetes, was even measuring small towards the end and had a GIANT baby. totally wacky!

 

[kohlby]

I was born in the 50% at only 37 weeks. So, on the big side but not freakishly big. I dropped down to below the 3% where I grew up small! I was supposed to be no taller than 4'6" at one point but didn't stop growing until my 20's so I ended up at 5'1". DH was born in the 50% at around 40 weeks. He is now 6'5". I was told that the woman has more to do if you get a big baby than the man. But the man's height can play a part too.

My babies were:

Boy - 42 weeks - 10lb 8oz 23" (Has continued to be above 90% in weight and height at 5.5 years old. He's big boned and has a big head too).

Girl - 41 weeks - 11lb 4oz 23.5" (Usually around 75% height but only 25% weight - meaning she wasn't supposed to be as heavy as she was. Also, though I passed the 3 hour GTT, she had a couple signs of me likely having ncontrolled diabetes anyways. She's very small boned).

 

[larzanna]

some of it might just be the person. my mom had 3 kids, all 3 were born at the same weight (w/in an ounce or so)
i was 20 days "late"
sister was 2 weeks early and brother was right on time.
so i gues my mom just makes one size babies.

 

[mamatoady]

I wouldn't worry about it, that extra weight is not generally in the head and shoulders--and after that's out regardless of if baby is 5 pounds or 12 it'll just slither out from there. Maybe the question you ought to ask is what was your head circumfrence when born... of course remember that even small women are quite capeable of delivering huge babies.

sarah